Design & Development of Organic Solar Cells

Rahul Gaba
B.E. Polymer Science & Chemical Technology - 2009, Delhi Technological University (formerly Delhi College of Engineering)

Abstract Experimental Details Calculations & Results

From the characterization data obtained in light, we get:
The growing global focus on A typical solar cell structure using organic bulk heterojunction materials looks
development of alternative sources of such as the one shown below: Short Circuit Current ISC= 6.92 X 10-4 mA
energy and the remarkable growth of Open Circuit Voltage VOC=4.10 X 10-1 mV
photovoltaic market worldwide has Cell Area= 1mm2
made organic solar cells as the Current Density JSC=(ISC/Area)= 6.92 X 10-3
object of vivid interest from both Fill Factor= [(IMAX X VMAX)/ (ISC X VOC)] = 0.4088
industrial and academic sides. Cost Power Input= 80 mW/cm2
effective solar cells could be vital in Efficiency (η)= [(PowerMAX / 80) X 1000 X 100)]
solving the shortage of clean power,
especially, in developing countries. Therefore, Efficiency (η)== 1.45%
Based on the semiconducting
properties of organic conjugated
macromolecules, these
possess the potential to be
processed by common printing
devices
The experimental set-up & process described in brief below is also explained Spin Coater Nitrogen Glove Box
Conclusions
through pictures on the right side.
techniques and have therefore
introduced the possibility of obtaining
Here ITO coated glass or flexible plastic substrate is spin coated with poly (3,4- In conclusion, we have fabricated P3HT/PCBM blended Organic Solar Cells by
cheap and easy-to-produce energy
ehtylene dioxythiophene)- poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to a thickness of a simple spin coating method.
from light
Organic Solar Cells about 100nm to facilitate hole conduction, and also to smoothen the relatively
rough ITO layer, which prevents short circuits in the solar cell. This is followed  We have incorporated one-dimensional acid-doped polyaniline nanotubes (a-
Organic solar cell research has developed during the past 30 years, but especially in
by a layer of PAni – prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization process. PANINs) also into it, as an interfacial layer.
the last decade it has attracted scientific and economic interest triggered by a rapid
increase in power conversion efficiencies. Today, up to 7% power conversion
Next, the cell is transferred to a nitrogen glove box and a bulk heterojunction The power conversion efficiency of an annealed device lacking the a-PANIN
efficiencies are reported in this kind of plastic solar cells.
polymer-fullerene blend containing poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) in its layer reached as high as 1.45% under (80 mW/cm2) illumination.
regioregular form as electron donor and a fullerene derivative ([6,6]-Phenyl
C61-butyric acid methyl ester) (PCBM) as electron acceptor is deposited to a It has been reported in some research papers that incorporation of polyaniline layer
Introduction thickness of about 100nm. leads to an increase in efficiency by 26% relative to that of the annealed device
lacking an a-PANIN interfacial layer.
Finally aluminum (100 nm) is vacuum evaporated onto P3HT:PCBM to form the
Mask for electrode (Al) deposition Vacuum evaporator for Al deposition
This poster describes the fabrication of solution processed bulk heterojunction back layer electrode to complete the solar cell device fabrication. To But on incorporating a polyaniline layer no such increase was observed. The result
organic solar cells using common organic solvents and spin coating technique. optimize the cell performance, they are heated to 140oC. obtained in our experiments on this aspect was not in accordance with that reported
These cells are based on blends of regioregular poly (3-hexylthiophne) (P3HT) and in other research papers.
[6,6]-phenyl-C61- butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) incorporating polyaniline (PAni) The finished solar cells degrade quickly when they are in contact with oxygen and
nanotubes. PAni has been studied as layer providing aid in transport of charges water in the atmosphere. Because of that, the solar cells have to be sealed before
which can improve device performance.

Conventional p-n junction Solar Cells v/s Organic Solar Cells

• In a conventional device, charge carriers (electrons and holes) are generated in
the bulk of the material and the electrons and holes are not tightly bound to
each other. They are separated by the built-in electric field of the device and
travel to their respective electrode where they are transported out of the
semiconducting material, while
the charge carriers in organic semiconductors are tightly bound to each other
in the form of excitons. The excitons only dissociate at interfaces, such as the
interface b/w donor & acceptor organic materials.
• In addition, the conventional devices are so-called minority carrier materials,
while organic cells are majority carriers because holes exist primarily in one
phase, electrons exist primarily in the other phase, and their movements result
directly in current flow.
The following diagram highlights the differences in carrier generation b/w the two
types of devices:
they can be measured for performance outside the glove box. To seal the cells, a
cleaned glass plate is glued to the back side of the solar cell with a two-component
epoxy resin.
When illuminated, the asymmetry of the work functions between the cathode
and the anode creates an internal electric field such that the holes move toward
the ITO layer and the electron towards the aluminum cathode. By externally
connecting the electrodes a current can be generated.
Solar Cell Characterization Data:
Cell Characterization is done by measuring the performance of the cell under
illumination using solar simulator and in dark.
Cell Characterstics in Light -
Future Prospects
Conjugated polymers can exhibit electron–hole conduction similar to inorganic
semiconductors.
Although the best photovoltaic polymers produced so far are less efficient than their
silicon counterparts polymerization methods are being developed that increase
the structural order, producing more efficient charge transport properties.
Annealing and Encapsulation of the cells using epoxy resin and glass plate
Perhaps one day, we can convert the outside of the house into one big solar
collector using photovoltaic polymer paint.
The flexible, large-area applications of organic solar cells may open up new markets
like “textile integration”.
The next generation of microelectronics is aiming for applications of “electronics
everywhere,” and such organic semiconductors will play a major role in these future
technologies.

LET US MAKE ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS HAPPEN!!!

Characterization of the Cells using Solar Simulator References

Cell Characterstics in Dark -
1. Gilles Dennler and Niyazi Serdar Sacriciftci, Flexible Conjugated Polymer-
Based Plastic Solar Cells: From Basics to Applications, Proceedings of the IEEE,
Vol. 93, No. 8, August 2005.
2. Travis L. Benanti & D. Venkataraman, Organic solar Cells: An overview
focussing on active layer morphology, Photosynthesis Research (2006) 87:73-81,
The main advantages of Organic Solar Cells are:
Springer 2006.
 easy preparation
3. Herald Hoppe and Niyazi Serdar Sacriciftci, Organic Solar Cells: An Overview,
 low process temperature
J. Mater. Res., Vol. 19, No. 7, July 2004.
 low-cost materials & processing technology and
4. Virang G. Shah and David B. Wallace, Low-cost Solar Cell Fabrication by Drop-
 the possibility to produce flexible devices on plastic substrates
on-Demand Ink Jet Printing, Proc. IAMPS 37th Annual International Symposium on
Microelectronics Long Beach, Ca, November 14-18, 2004.
Such flexible cells are therefore candidates for gamut of applications, from
5. http://ehf.uni-oldenburg.de/pv/26317.html
handheld electronics to commercial power production. Testing Cells under direct sunlight With Dr. Ingo Riedel, Head-Thin Film PV,
6. Jean-Michel Nunz, Organic photovoltaic materials and devices, C. R. Physique
University of Oldenburg, Germany 3 (2002) 523–542.

The photographs used for experiment description are from the work done by the author at University of Applied Sciences-Emden and Semiconductor & Research Laboratory, University of Oldenburg, Germany in 2008. Further research work including cell fabrication and incorporation
of polyaniline as interfacial layer was carried out at Delhi Technological University in 2009. Author can be reached at r.gaba@qmul.ac.uk or rahulgaba@gmail.com